Timescale
by speckleification
Summary: Pavel/OFC a little one shot that I thought up after watching the 2009 film


For the greater good…

The cursor still flashed as awaiting the next character. Pavel and Jim were frozen, unable to fathom any form of reaction. She had gone, given herself up. For the greater good. She had only been out of their sight for no more then a minute, but that was it all it took for her to vanish from their lives. A split second decision, she had saved them all but at what cost?

Pavel had lost the only girl he had ever loved, his other half, his soul mate. and Jim, he had lost the little sister he had never had, the genius who had helped him defeat the Kobiyishi Mirou with her sub routine programme, she would never reprimand his womanising ways. He now realised how his mother must have felt on the day of his birth, knowing that his father had willingly given his life to save his crew and now she had done the same.

There was no two ways about it, as soon as the red alert had sounded and they made their demands, that was it. I only had one choice, I had to give myself up. It was the only option. They were destroying the ship and would kill everyone on board unless I gave them the information. Information only I knew, passed down to me from my father before he died. I had shunned my heritage all my life, all the way up to now. It was time to step up and become who I should have become a long time ago. I took a deep breath, held my head high and stepped onto the transporter pad. For the greater good I told myself firmly as I took my breath on board the USS Enterprise. There was no time for goodbyes, if there had been i wouldn't have said anything even then, their eyes would be filled with promise they couldn't keep, empty promises of a fix a way out. James Tyberius Kirk didn't believe in no win scenarios.

A single tear escaped as I stepped off the transporter pad and into the main hull of the enemy ship. I kept my head held high as the guards restrained me. I would go out of this world with a clear conscience and my dignity intact. It was in my job description after all, I wasn't want to blot my record, why start now.

The captain wasn't one for playing games, so I layed out my terms there and then. I would give him what he was after in return for the withdrawal of hostilities against the federation and all it's vessels. The USS Enterprise was allowed to leave with no further damage inflicted upon it. It was a high price, but then so was the one atop my head.

Jim frantically searched the imaging for a glance of that familiar signature, it wasn't in his nature to give up, while Pavel sat dumbstruck, watching Jim's destructive path as he rampaged around. Bones was doing his best to ease him but Jim was beyond console. The bridge was silent as they watched their captain self destruct. Lieutenant Uhura rushed forward to comfort the young russian, who clung to her desperately.

"Captain, we're being hailed." Said Sulu

"On screen." Jim said snapping quickly out of his reverie. His blue eyes glistened determinedly at the screen. The captain of the enemy ship thanked Kirk for releasing Lily to him and praised her bargaining skills. All his talk only made Jim angrier. He laid out the terms he had agreed to, however he twisted the terms in his favour andin the background Lily's shout of fury could be heard. Briefly she came into shot, anger radiating from her very fibre as she launched at the captain but she was grabbed before she could reach her intended target. A sharp blow to her temple saw her slump in her restraints.

The enemy captain smirked again, his eyes gleaming.

"Goodbye _Captain_"

"Wait! There's something you don't know about her"

Rage like nothing I had ever experienced flooded my veins and I launched myself at the liar, the traitor scum, I whipped my fist back aiming for the lying scum, I wanted him to hurt like I seeing my crew mates all standing there sentenced to death just because but my blow never reached it's mark, a strong iron set of arms encased my small form and a sharp pain in the side of my head knocked all thoughts of revenge away. It was all I could do to keep my eyes open, keep breathing I thought to myself, in out, in out.

I could hear Jim's voice in the background, like a badly tuned radio. My vision fading in and out. The desperate edge in his voice was breaking my heart. He was stumbling over his words, making things up as he went, the words didn't make any sense but the sound of him was comforting at least. The fuzziness in my head was beginning to take over, a fog was clouding my senses.

It was our six month anniversary tonight, we were supposed to be having a candle lit dinner, wine, roses a nice dress, the whole schebang. The first time we met his Russian accent was so bad I thought he had called me a rude name and I slapped him. Not a great first impression, though their was an impressive impression on his cheek for a few days. The memory of our first date, first kiss, the first time he told me he loved me, all flooded my brain together giving me a second wind and I spat violently at the person holding me and a swift kick in the fork of his legs was enough to be dropped, long enough to scramble up intent on that slimy excuse for life, so intent I didn't spot the fist the closed around my throat before it was too late and my feet dangled inches from the floor as I spluttered and then slipped into darkness.

I awoke exhausted alone and cold. The shackles attached to my wrists dug deep into the flesh without regret, I felt filled with rubber, my responses slow, heavy, unsteady. Their was a small patch of light in the far corner but the light never changed so I couldn't tell you how long I was there. It may have been hours it may have been months.

Every few periods of time someone would come, they would ask questions and I answered every time with the only thing that was clear to my mind. Lily Eversham, USS Enterprise, Cadet No. 752- and every answer would be followed a lash, cutting like ice and fire into my exhausted skin.

But I began to forget, to confuse, I'd hear laughter echo, so familiar, hear voices calling my name when the room was utterly silent and find myself calling names that I didn't recognise. Laughter echoed in my head and a familiar sound bounced around, they sounded urgent, despite the fog that welcomed me, the sound continued, louder, clearer with each passing moment. A pair of eyes matched the sound, a soft curl of hair ran through fingers, a dimple, an old scar, all accompanied the sound, I knew these images, I knew that sound.

"Pavel"

I croaked out, His name was Pavel and he kept talking, that sweet voice didn't stop, it was his voice, he loved me, he really loved me. I choked out his name again and again praying that I wasn't dreaming and this time he answered and I understood. He was answering, it was too fast but I wasn't imagining it. MY eyelids were heqavy as lead but I forced them to open slightly, it was light, bright, too bright. This wasn't the cell, this was, this was the Enterprise. I was saved, but how? Pavel was here and he was in one piece and that was all that matter. He smiled down at me, one hand in mine the other stroking my hair.

"Hey squirt"

"Bones" I smiled in relief at the familiar man, "what's going on? I don't understand, what happened?"

It was then I registered the flashing red lights on the edge of the room, we were in red alert. "Engineering got hit pretty hard, you hit your head in the blast and then got thrown into some electrical wires, you'll be fine, no lasting damage kid."

"We're under attack? but from who-" I was interrupted by Bone's communicator going off, "For god's sake what Jim?"

"Bones whatever you do do not let that kid out of your site"

"What the goddamn are you on about man?"

"They're here for her Bones, you better strap yourself in, they're not gonna give up without a fight"

Pavel's hand tightened around mine at the words coming through the communicator, his mouth open slightly, staring at the small device in Bone's hand. "What do you mean they're here for me? How did they find me again?"

"Agwain?" asked Pavel looking confused

"But.. I don't understand... What date is it?" Pavel confirmed the date. So it was all just a dream, a bad dream. I clinged to Pavel, wrapping my arms around him as hard as I could and as the first missile hit I clung steadfastly to the man I loved.


End file.
